Pumpkin Apple Struesel Cake with Coconut Caramel and Chocolate Chips

Heeeeyyyyy, so tomorrow is Halloweeeeeen and the holiday season in America has officially begun! This means you can expect the foodie radar to be set for all things pumpkin-apple-spice and everything festive and nice. I personally love the holiday season and never tire of all the possible ways to dress up your squash- pumpkin included. I especially love sweet and spicy roasted pumpkin seeds and pumpkin soup with bacon and cream…mmmm…I would love to hear your festive, fall inspired favorites- if you feel like dropping a line in the comment section below.

And now, for this Pumpkin Apple Streusel Cake with Coconut Caramel and Mini Chocolate Chips. I know it’s kind of a mouth full, but if you dare to make this scrumptious, moist sweet bread with all the toppings it’s sure to make your mouth happpppyyyyy. Que the old school Twizzler commercial. Without the gluten please. 😉

As you probably already guessed, this is free from all the things we fear most. Gluten, grains, white sugar (okay, not exactly free in the chocolate chips, but we don’t have to count that. Maybe? or you could just omit them or use raw cacao chips ) and other common allergens like soy, casein, corn and peanuts. It’s also made with the highest quality ingredients like, pasture raised eggs with the deepest most golden yolks, grade b maple syrup- which is more nutrient dense than grade a. Blanched almond flour, coconut flour, pumpkin seeds…and the list goes on.

When baked the cake has a warm and moist, yet crumbly sort of texture that’s almost like a bready pumpkin pudding with notes of cinnamon, cardamom and maple, paired with the sweet and crunchy topping of pumpkin seeds and coconut sugar + the raw cold, crisp and slightly tangy apple slices, warm and comforting caramel paired with cinnamon and sea salt + those chocolate chips on the finish makes for something like fall fireworks for the tastebuds. The experience will go straight to the soul. You’ll want to share it someone. Honestly.

Here’s the recipe:

2 C All Purpose Gluten Free Flour (we used the mix similar to the one posted in the archives, but re-written with arrowroot starch and less gum in the post for gingersnap cookies. I really like the texture of this mix, I feel like it’s a bit more light and airy. I’ll have to make a separate post for you to make it easier to find. )

1/4 tsp fine sea salt

1 tsp cardamom

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp grated nutmeg

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 C grade B maple syrup

1 C pumpkin puree

2 pasture raised eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract (pure)

1/2 C almond milk (unsweetened)

1/4 C ghee/coconut oil blend. ( We purchase ours in a gallon through Green Pastures online- if you can’t find this blend just use pure ghee or coconut oil) * ghee is technically considered a dairy product since it comes from grass fed cows butter (it should be grass fed anyway) but proteins are removed during the separation process, so many people with dairy allergies can still enjoy the buttery goodness of ghee. We’re pretty much gah-gah over it.

Pre-heat oven to 325 or 350 depending on your oven. Ours is tiny so we do 325 to prevent over heating and burning. In a large mixing bowl add the flour, salt, cardamom, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, and baking soda. Whisk together. In a separate bowl add the syrup, pumpkin puree, eggs, vanilla, almond milk and ghee blend. Whisk together. Then, add to the dry mix and mix just until it comes together. Grease a medium cast iron skillet with an all vegetable shortening ( we use nutiva’s super food brand ) Then pour the batter in and spread evenly with a spatula. Now, you’ll need to prepare your topping.

For the topping you’ll need:

1/3 C pumpkin seeds

1/3 C coconut flakes

1/3 C coconut sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

1 TB ghee/coconut blend (or either or)

Place all ingredients in a food processor and pulse into crumbs. Sprinkle over the pumpkin mixture and transfer to the oven. Bake for about 20 minutes or until set.

For the caramel you’ll need:

1/3 C filtered water

1/3 C coconut sugar

1/3 C coconut cream (the fatty white stuff sitting on top of the full fat can of coconut milk)

a big sprinkle of cinnamon

a pinch of sea salt

In a sauce pan over medium high heat, add the water and coconut sugar. Bring to a boil and whisk constantly until it begins to thicken. Add the coconut cream and continue to whisk until it combines with the sugar water candy stuff and begins to take the shape of caramel, add cinnamon and sea salt. You don’t want it to become too thick, so watch it for the lines it starts to leave on the bottom of the pan while you whisk away. Remember it will thicken a bit more when you let it cool. You can also test with your spoon and see how well the caramel sticks to it when you dip it in the sauce . While you let the caramel slightly cool ( the cake should be on its way) Slice about 3 small green apples. Depending on how much time is left in the oven you may want to squeeze some lemon juice over the apple slices while they sit. To prevent them from turning brown. Remove the cake from the oven and begin arranging apple slices around the edges. Finish with a drizzle of caramel and a sprinkle of mini chocolate chips. (We use the enjoy life brand of dairy free, organic chocolate chips – free of common allergens. )

Make the caramel by placing 1/3 C filtered water and 1/3 C coconut sugar into a sauce pan. Bring to a boil and whisk constantly until begins to thicken. Add 1/3 C coconut cream and continue to whisk until a thickened coconut caramel begins to form. Add a sprinkle of cinnamon and sea salt on the finish. Slice and arrange apples over cake, drizzle with coconut caramel and finish with mini chocolate chips.

Yeeeeessss, please! I need some pumpkin apple streusel cake in my life! With the caramel and chocolate chips too! I love how nutrient dense this is with the grain-free flour and unrefined sweeteners. You made it look SO beautiful too! A+++ for YUM factor!ReplyCancel